Leg handle comprising thin stretch fabric and rounded cylindrical section

Abstract

A leg handle with preferably hollow cylindrical sections is used to aid in lifting a jumping player, especially for lineouts in World Rugby. The handles are preferably made of one or more foam sausages attached to a thin stretch fabric sleeve which is placed the leg of the jumper and when jumping allow for secure grasp by lifters. To use, leg handles are applied to one or more legs of a jumper and held in place with tape. When the jumper jumps, one or more lifters place their hands against the leg handle. The lifters lift the jumper higher, support the jumper in the jump while the jumper attempts to intercept a ball, and safely lower the jumper. Leg handles comprising cylindrical sections are embodied with a single sausage; a lower front sausage and a higher back sausage; or as a pair of such sausages integrated into respective legs of a pair of compression shorts. To comply with the World Rugby law regarding clothing thickness, a wall thickness of four millimeter is preferred resulting in a combined thickness of five millimeters.

I claim: 
     
       1. A leg handle to be worn on a leg of a jumper and engaged by one or more lifters, said leg handle comprising:
 a) a first thin stretch fabric woven material, having a thickness approximately one half millimeter, said first thin stretch fabric woven material having been weaved with fibers comprising a polyurethane-polyurea copolymer, 
 b) a second thin stretch fabric woven material, attached to the first thin stretch fabric woven material, forming a first pocket, and 
 c) a cylindrical section, enclosed in the first pocket, 
 wherein the first thin stretch fabric woven material is of sufficient size and shape to be worn around the lower thigh of the jumper, 
 wherein the first thin stretch fabric woven material forms a leg sleeve, 
 wherein, when not wrapped with tape, the first thin stretch fabric woven material slips freely up the leg, 
 wherein the first thin stretch fabric woven material is configured to removably receive at least one wrapping of tape below the cylindrical section without the tape touching the skin of the leg of the jumper, whereby the leg handle is prevented from slipping up during the lift and whereby the skin and hair of the leg of the jumper is not adversely affected, 
 wherein, when the jumper jumps to obtain a higher position, the jumper is lifted and held in the higher position by the one or more lifters, 
 wherein the cylindrical section is formed from a hollow cylinder, 
 wherein the cylindrical section is approximately five inches long, 
 wherein the cylindrical section is between approximately three-quarters of an inch and approximately one and one-quarter inches in radius, 
 wherein the wall thickness of cylindrical section is approximately four millimeters, 
 wherein the cylindrical section has rounded sides and ends, 
 wherein, when attached to the leg of a jumper, all of the sides and the ends of the cylindrical section taper smoothly down to the leg of the jumper, 
 wherein the sides and ends which engage the hand of the lifter correspond to the shape of the hand of the lifter, 
 wherein the cylindrical section is configured to securely engage a hand of one of the lifters while lifting, supporting, and lowering the jumper, 
 whereby the jumper when wearing the leg handle:
 i) is lifted and held in the higher position by at least one lifter, and 
 ii) runs and jumps free of discomfort or interference from the leg handle. 
 
 
     
     
       2. A leg handle to be worn on a leg of a jumper and engaged by one or more lifters, said leg handle comprising:
 a) a first thin stretch fabric woven material, having a thickness approximately one half millimeter, 
 b) a second thin stretch fabric woven material, having a thickness approximately one half millimeter, attached to first thin stretch fabric woven material, forming a first pocket, and 
 c) a cylindrical section formed from a hollow cylinder and enclosed in the first pocket, 
 wherein the first thin stretch fabric woven material is of sufficient size and shape to be worn around the lower thigh of the jumper, 
 wherein, when not wrapped with tape, the first thin stretch fabric woven material slips freely up the leg, 
 wherein the first thin stretch fabric woven material is configured to removably receive at least one wrapping of tape below the cylindrical section without the tape touching the skin of the leg of the jumper, whereby the leg handle is prevented from slipping up during the lift and whereby the skin and hair of the leg of the jumper is not adversely affected, 
 wherein, when the jumper jumps to obtain a higher position, the jumper is lifted and held in the higher position by the one or more lifters, 
 wherein the cylindrical section is configured to securely engage a hand of one of the lifters while lifting, supporting, and lowering the jumper, 
 whereby the jumper when wearing the leg handle:
 i) is lifted and held in the higher position by at least one lifter, and 
 ii) runs and jumps free of discomfort or interference from the leg handle. 
 
 
     
     
       3. The leg handle of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the cylindrical section has rounded sides and ends, and 
 wherein, when attached to the leg of a jumper, all of the sides and the ends of the cylindrical section taper smoothly down to the leg of the jumper, 
 whereby the sides and ends which are engaged the hand of the lifter correspond to the shape of the hand of the lifter. 
 
     
     
       4. The leg handle of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the cylindrical section is approximately five inches long. 
 
     
     
       5. The leg handle of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the wall thickness of the cylindrical section is approximately four millimeters. 
 
     
     
       6. The leg handle of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the cylindrical section is between approximately three-quarters of an inch and approximately one and one-quarter inches in radius. 
 
     
     
       7. The leg handle of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the wall thickness of the cylindrical section is approximately three-eighths of an inch. 
 
     
     
       8. The leg handle of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the wall thickness of the cylindrical section is between approximately four and approximately twenty-nine millimeters. 
 
     
     
       9. The leg handle of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 d) a third thin stretch fabric woven material, attached to first thin stretch fabric woven material, forming a second pocket, and 
 e) a second cylindrical section, enclosed in the second pocket, 
 wherein first thin stretch fabric woven material forms compression shorts with two short legs, 
 wherein the first pocket and the second pocket are positioned near the bottom of the two short legs, 
 whereby the cylindrical sections are prevented from slipping down by the compression shorts compressing about the waist and legs of the jumper. 
 
     
     
       10. The leg handle of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the first thin stretch fabric woven material forms a leg sleeve. 
 
     
     
       11. A system for supporting a jumper by one or more lifters, said system comprising two leg handles in accordance with  claim 10 , said two leg handles comprising a first leg handle to be worn on a one leg of the jumper and a second leg handle to be worn on the other leg of the jumper,
 wherein, prior to jumping, the first and second leg handles are applied to the corresponding legs of the jumper, and 
 wherein, when jumping, a first hand of the at least one lifter grips the first leg handle and a second hand of the at least one lifter grips the second leg handle, 
 whereby when the jumper jumps to higher position the at least one lifter is able to support the jumper with the first hand on the first leg handle and the second hand on the second leg handle. 
 
     
     
       12. A method for supporting a jumper by one or more lifters comprising the steps of:
 a) applying at least two of the leg handles of  claim 2  to the legs of the jumper, 
 b) taping below each of the cylindrical sections, 
 c) the jumper jumping into the higher position, 
 d) the one or more lifters ascertaining the location of each cylindrical section, 
 e) the one or more lifters engaging each leg handle, 
 f) lifting the jumper to a second higher position, 
 g) holding the jumper firmly in the second higher position until the jumper is able to intercept the ball, and 
 h) lowering the jumper safely and securely, 
 i) repeating steps b) through h) for a predetermined period of time, 
 j) removing the leg handles, 
 k) reapplying the leg handles, and 
 l) repeating steps b) through h) for a second predetermined period of time. 
 
     
     
       13. The leg handle of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 d) a third thin stretch fabric woven material, attached to first thin stretch fabric woven material, forming a second pocket, and 
 e) a second cylindrical section, enclosed in the second pocket, 
 wherein the first pocket is positioned on a lower front of the leg handle, 
 wherein the second pocket is positioned on a upper back of the leg handle. 
 
     
     
       14. A unit of compression shorts with two integrated leg handles of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the first thin stretch fabric woven material of the two integrated leg handles are connected and is of sufficient size and shape to be worn around the waist and thighs of the jumper, 
 wherein at least one wrapping of tape is applied below each cylindrical section on the first thin stretch fabric of each integrated leg handle without touching the skin of the leg of the jumper, whereby each leg handle is prevented from slipping up during the lift and whereby the skin and hair of the leg of the jumper is not adversely affected. 
 
     
     
       15. The compression shorts with integrated leg handles of  claim 14 ,
 wherein each cylindrical section has rounded sides and ends, and 
 wherein, when attached to the leg of a jumper, all of the sides and ends of each cylindrical section taper smoothly down to the legs of the jumper, 
 whereby the sides and ends which are engaged by the hands of the lifter correspond to the shape of the hands of the lifter. 
 
     
     
       16. The compression shorts with integrated leg handles of  claim 14 ,
 wherein each cylindrical section is approximately five inches long. 
 
     
     
       17. The compression shorts with integrated leg handles of  claim 14 ,
 wherein each cylindrical section is between approximately three-quarters of an inch and approximately one and one-quarter inches in radius. 
 
     
     
       18. The compression shorts with integrated leg handles of  claim 14 ,
 wherein the wall thickness of each cylindrical section is approximately four millimeters. 
 
     
     
       19. The leg handle of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the combined thickness of the first thin stretch fabric, the cylindrical section and the surrounding second thin stretch fabric material is less than or equal to five millimeters. 
 
     
     
       20. The leg handle of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the combined thickness of the first thin stretch fabric, the cylindrical section and the surrounding second thin stretch fabric material complies with the laws of World Rugby.